Has anyone seen my 20lbs?

I seem to have lost it!  And I have no intention of finding it again.  I have maintained my weight loss for about 2 months now.  And let me clarify my use of the word "maintained".  More like I gain two pounds, I lose to pounds, and repeat.  It's not necessarily intentional, but it's certainly better than the scale consistently moving up.  I am now in an acceptable, healthy weight range for my height, but I'd prefer to lose a few more pounds in order to feel even better.

This is screenshot of the weight tracker on my phone,  of course some of the important numbers have been cropped.  A lady never tells, and you get the idea anyway.  Look at that quick progress at the beginning of my journey...then it kind of becomes a bumpy road towards the end.  It has taken me a very long time, but the good news is that it's been totally do-able and I rarely feel like I'm missing out. 

I'd like to share some of the things that have helped me:

- My husband- Bless his heart, he's been eating all the creations I'm making and is a constant cheerleader, support system, and shoulder to lean on.  He's a perfect mix of drill sergeant and person who lets me cheat occasionally. 

- Skinny Taste Blog- Seriously y'all, this gal's blog has been a huge part of my journey.  I make about three of her recipes each week and haven't had any that have been a flop.  I talk about some of my favorites in this post.  Sometimes diets and weight loss plans can get boring because I feel like I have to eat a meat and a vegetable, separately, with no sauce.  But that's not true! Check out the SkinnyTaste blog and get some inspiration!

- LaCroix Sparkling Water- I don't like plain water.  There, I said it.  I'm really trying and I have noticed that I feel better when I'm drinking more, but I just don't like it.  I discovered these flavored seltzer waters at Kroger when they were on sale.  I've had the coconut, lemon, and grapefruit flavors and loved them all.  I drink 1-2 of these per day.  Throw in a bottle of water or two and and a Diet Cherry Coke and I've almost had all my liquids for the day!

- Going to Weight Watcher Meetings- I am a person who just can't do this on my own.  Do I have all the tools and knowledge? Yes!  I just need that extra accountability of stripping down to my bottom layer and removing my shoes & belt just like at airport security checks.  The topics discussed at meetings are never too deep and people can participate as much or as little as they like. 

- Cheat Day-  I am a firm believer in cheat day.  It may not work for some people but it does for me.  I usually do my weigh in on Tuesday morning, and after my weigh in I take the rest of the day off.  I don't track anything and usually I even put my food journal out of sight.  I eat whatever I want and usually Baron and I go out for dinner and dessert.  It's a day to feel normal, I suppose.  This works for me because I can make better choices during the week knowing that on Tuesday I can have whatever I want.  This is all mental for me and I have to figure out how to trick myself :)

Here are the best I can do for before and after pictures:

Like I said before, I have a few more pounds I'd like to lose and I know I'm capable of it.  I know things might slow down even more, but I'm okay with that, I just want to make sure the scale's moving in the right direction, however slowly that may be.